Marlaina Schiavo

I love comedy. And stand-up is something that I have always
admired…but only from afar. I never thought that I could actually do
it. Then in 2010, NY’s Funniest Reporter Show came along. And even
then, I thought… ‘uhhh how am I going to do this’….’I have no
training, what if no one laughs’…or worse… ‘what if I get so
nervous that I fall off the stage like Kelsey Grammer.’ Then my
producer voice chimed in and was like ‘wait a sec. what if I “fall”
off the stage like Kelsey Grammer. Yes! We’ll post it on youtube.
It’ll go viral. I’M IN!!’ Ok, that last part is not true but, the
rest of it is and it was all I would think about every time I wrote a
joke. Finally, the time had come for me to get up there and
perform….and….drum roll…..I didn’t die. Then in 2011, I won. I
don’t know about you, but I consider — not dying and then winning —
a success (and quite possibly a working title for Charlie Sheen’s
autobiography). NY’s Funniest Reporter Show has opened up
opportunities for me that had not previously existed. Beyond that,
it’s just a really fun event..for the participants as well as the
audience. And best of all: the proceeds go to the Humane Society of
NY. I give it two thumbs up. I would totally give it more, but I
only have two.